Described below are an apparatus and a method for detecting a label or tag for identification by electromagnetic waves (RFID), for example for marking and identifying an object, with a reader which uses a frequency band and is intended to interchange data with the tag having a transponder and to supply energy to the transponder.
When using wireless sensors, it is important to be able to uniquely assign the measured values from the individual sensors to a sensor number and therefore to a location. In many cases, it would be desirable to be able to use RFID labels for this purpose, which labels are often already used in the logistics sector. It is often also necessary to identify goods and to additionally acquire sensor data relating to the latter.
A further problem is the determination of the distance of RFID labels or RFID tags in order to locate the associated goods. For this purpose too, it may be advantageous to control an additional backscatter modulator, for example, in synchronism with an RFID label and therefore to obtain the assignment of the distance value to the identification or to the identification number of the corresponding label.
Since RFID labels, which are transponders, are used in different embodiments and likewise from various manufacturers, a comprehensive solution is sought which operates with RFID labels from different manufacturers and does not presuppose any modification of a given RFID label.
There are wireless sensors programmed with their own identification (ID) that cannot be read using conventional RFID systems. Separate management of RFID systems and sensor systems is therefore conventionally necessary. In situations in which both an RFID functionality and a wireless sensor function are required on the same goods item or object, both identification numbers must usually be assigned manually, thus producing a considerable error source.